It is desired to have an artificial golf surface which simulates actual golf course turf. Golf has become a popular sport which is played in all 12 months of the year in some locations. In northern climates it is necessary to practice golf indoors for obvious reasons. It is desirable, therefore, to play indoors with conditions which simulate actual golf.
Further, for outdoor golf practice ranges with heavy traffic it is difficult to keep the grass in good shape. Too many players taking too many divots results in practice ranges with little or no turf left. It is, therefore, desirable to practice golf on artificial golf turf surfaces at practice ranges or warm-up areas which are outdoors. It is desirable, therefore, to have artificial golf turf outdoors for practice ranges or warm-up areas which emulates actual golf surfaces, namely, fairway surfaces, rough surfaces, putting surfaces and tees.
When playing golf on an outdoor course, natural grass and grass roots and dirt beneath the roots succumb to the force of a golf club and a divot is taken. A divot is the grass and root system of the grass which is sliced away or cutaway by a golf “iron.” When using an iron a divot is sometimes intentionally taken so as to impart a certain spin on the golf ball which will affect its flight and/or its response when it comes down to the golf course.
The difference between a properly hit iron shot and a poorly hit iron shot is sometimes expressed by whether or not the golf ball is hit first and then a divot is taken beneath the ball and/or beneath the grass immediately in front of the golf ball. If the divot is taken too far behind the golf ball then the shot will be a poor one and the shot is said to have been hit “fat.”
When a player hits behind the golf ball it is known as hitting the ball “fat.” When a golf ball is hit fat it usually doesn't go too far because the golf club first contacts the grass too far behind the golf ball followed by the roots of the grass and dirt and/or whatever material lies beneath the grass at that particular point on the course or practice range. A fat golf shot can sometimes result in the grass being compressed between the golf club and the golf ball.
In any event it is quite common to hit down into the ball properly and/or to hit the ball fat. Missing a ball by striking it too high on the ball results in the ball being driven down into the grass and the material beneath the grass. This is known as topping the golf ball. Actual golf surfaces such as the fairway or rough are grass surfaces with material underneath which provide some relief or cushion when a ball is driven into it.
There is a need for an artificial golf surface which approximates the actual conditions of golf, namely, a grass like surface which has the ability to cushion a golf club which necessarily must engage the surface. There is a need for artificial golf turf which approximates actual golf turf. It is necessary for golfers to hit down into a golf ball and into the turf in proximity to the golf ball.
In certain circumstances a golfer may desire to “pick” the golf ball from the playing turf so as to generate a particular flight or action on the golf ball. By “pick” it is meant that the club does not hit the grass beneath the ball or that the club does not hit much into the grass. For instance, shots employing woods or long irons may require that the golfer pick them from the turf.
Therefore, it is desirable that the golf ball be supported by the artificial golf turf so that it may be “picked” from the surface with the appropriate golf club or with the appropriate technique of the golfer. It is desirable that artificial golf turf be capable of allowing the golfer to make the kind of shot that s/he wishes and to approximate the look and feel of real golf turf.
Related Art patents are now discussed. U.S. Pat. No. 6,155,931 to Perrine issued Dec. 5, 2000 discloses a golf swing practice mat for placement on an underlying base to aid a golfer in improving the golfer's swing. The golf swing practice mat comprises a low friction, flexible and resilient top sheet that is contacted by the golf club. The top sheet has a rigidity of 40 pounds per square inch or less and has an underlying supporting pad for supporting the top sheet and for providing space for the top sheet to move under force of the club. The support pad is compressible to 50% of its resting height in any area near its center line by an applied pressure of 8 psi or less. A bottom sheet is used underneath the support pad.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,139,443 to Reynolds issued Oct. 31, 2000 and discloses a turf-simulating surface. The device is made of components which simulate the layers of natural soil according to the patent. One component is a composite mat having an integral pile section having tufted strands that simulate grass and a plastic foam layer. A lateral-strength fabric is used with the pile section which has loops which interact with the lateral-strength fabric. The plastic foam layer is bonded to the lateral-strength fabric and the looped regions of the pile section. A rimmed base is integrally formed around a composite core.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,885,168 to Bair issued Mar. 23, 1999 and discloses mats which are plastic brush mats with plastic tufts embedded in a plastic base. The mats have regions or panels of different pile depth and density for simulating different types of playing surfaces.
A better understanding of the invention will be had when reference is made to the Summary of the Invention, Brief Description of the Drawings, Description of the Invention and Claims which follow hereinbelow.